Commercial aircraft are used to transport passengers between various locations. A typical commercial aircraft includes one or more lavatories within an internal cabin. Each lavatory includes a toilet and sink. The toilet is coupled to a vacuum system that is configured to assist in evacuating contents within the toilet as the toilet is flushed.
The vacuum system generally includes one or more vacuum generators (which may include one or more blower assist motors) that are used to assist the flushing operation. At a cruising altitude, a blower assist motor may not be used to facilitate removal of contents of the toilet upon flushing, as the pressure differential between the internal environment of the aircraft and the external environment is great enough to evacuate the contents of the toilet. When the aircraft descends, the blower assist motor is activated upon flushing of the toilet to generate sufficient vacuum force to evacuate contents of the toilet, as the pressure differential between the inside of the aircraft and the exterior environment may not be great enough to provide sufficient evacuation force. When the aircraft is on land (such as parked at a gate), the blower assist motor is activated each time a toilet is flushed in order to provide sufficient vacuum force to remove the contents of the toilet.
Over time, the blower assist motor may become less effective, as numerous uses over long periods of time may cause normal wear and tear. As can be appreciated, blower assist motors are replaced as their effectiveness diminishes.
It has been found that airlines may incur significant delays due to lavatory maintenance. For example, if a blower assist motor needs to be replaced, a significant delay (for example, 15-120 minutes) may be caused as maintenance personnel remove and replace the blower assist motor. Delays may lead to customer irritation and/or dissatisfaction, as well as increased operational costs for airlines.